


Aftermath part three

by Akigriffin



Series: Aftermath [3]
Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: And Business Spot, Business Race, I'm still mad at Jack, M/M, Race and Spot are adorable though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-12-01 12:47:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11486691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akigriffin/pseuds/Akigriffin
Summary: Race tries to convince Spot to forgive Jack.





	Aftermath part three

**Author's Note:**

> For Aleida, because she wanted Race to make everyone friends again.

Spot had decided ages ago that his agreement with the dock workers to put their crates in a certain position whenever they came in was the best dollar a month he spent. An empty spot was surrounded by high walls of crates, creating a perfect private office. Every one of his kids knew to yell before coming near so all his secrets could be kept safe. (The one time someone got too close and tried to blackmail Spot with the information he heard ended up with a bum leg and exile. It never happened again.)

Three weeks to the day after the Strike, Racetrack finally showed back up in Brooklyn.

“Boss!” Spot heard Winner call.

He groaned in frustration at the interruption and climbed to the top of the crates. “What?” he snapped.

Winner nodded her head back towards a group of boys joking around. “Racetrack’s here to see ya.”

Race looked up at his name, then looked over to Spot and grinned. 

“You betta’ not’ve walked out heres on that leg,” Spot said, narrowing his eyes as he watched Race stroll over, limping a bit still.

“Nice to see ya, too.” 

Spot continued to glare.

“Fine. I ain’t stupid, Spot. I hopped a trolley.”

Spot nodded, satisfied. “So’s what can I do’s for youse?”

“Can’t a guy come visit his friend?”

“Of course. Unless they’s wearing their business face, which you is.”

Race shrugged. “Fine. ‘S both business and pleasure.”

“Jack send ya then?”

Race shook his head. “What I wanna talk abouts, but no, he has no idea I’s here.”

Spot stared at him for a few moments. It was a move that made most people nervous, but Race had known Spot too long for it to work. “Alright. Get your ass up here then. I ain’t doin’ this in the Court.”

Race scoffed at the word ‘Court’ like he always did. “Davey taught me a new word,” he said as he climbed up carefully.

“Do I’s care?”

“Well, it ‘plies to you. ‘Pretentious’.”

Spot raised an eyebrow as he helped Race down into his ‘office’.

“It’s a fancy way to say muckety-muck.”

“You makin’ fun of me, Higgins?”

“Yep,” Race said proudly, sitting down on one of the boxes Spot used as chairs. 

“You’s lucky I like youse so much,” Spot grumbled before giving Race a kiss.

“I know. Missed ya, you pretentious jerk.”

“Let’s do business so we’s can gets to pleasure.”

“Foreplay has gotten borin’ with youse.”

Spot rolled his eyes. “Shuddup and talk.”

“Can’t do both.”

Spot just stared him down.

“Fine, fine. I think youse shoulds let Jack back in.”

“And why the hell would I do that?”

“‘Cause it’s been long enough. Youse made your point.”

“You knows how I feel about cowards, Race. Theys has no place bein’ in charge.”

“What he did, leavin’ us, then the whole thing with the Rally-”

“You means when he betrayed every newsie in New York at once?”

“Yeah. You knows why he did that?”

Spot leaned back so he could look at the sky. “I don’ care.”

“You should. That fucker was threatenin’ all of us. Snyder was ready to throw Davey and Les in the Refuge, and never let Crutchie out. Jack was cornered with his worst nightmare. Youse been there, Spot. You knows what that feels like.”

Spot was quiet for a moment. “I needs your honest ‘pinion on this. You’s completely convinced Jackey-Boy wouldn’ have taken the bribe if Mouth and Crutchie weren’t threatened?” He looked at Race.

“Completely,” Race confirmed, looking him in the eye. “He would have gone to the Refuge himself if it meant their safety. Any of our safety.”

“Alright. I will forgive him on that one. There is still the matter of him runnin’ ‘way.”

“That was shitty,” Race agreed, “but we’s just kids. Even him.”

“He’s supposed ta be a leader.”

Race closed his eyes. “Youse know that means somethin’ different in ‘Hattan. We’s not a business like youse is here. Youse known him nearly as long as I has. Youse know he takes care of every one of those kids, even at a risk to himself.”

“‘Cept when their lives are in danger.”

“He got scared! We’s weren’t ready and he blamed himself.”

“As he should have.”

Race nodded. “And he still blames himself.”

Spot looked back up, the words catching his interest. “He does?”

Race nodded. “He’s proud ‘a the strike, but hates himself for gettin’ people hurt. Was tryin’ to give all his earnin’s to kids who couldn’t sells again yet. Had to stop him, since he wasn’t gettin’ food no more.” He looked pointedly at Spot.

He knew why Race brought it up. It was only last winter that Race had stomped up to Brooklyn in the snow, thrown him a jacket and made the younger newsie swear to keep enough of his money to stay feed. A starving leader was a useless leader. 

Spot thought about everything he heard, fiddling with the key around his neck.

“I can’t forgive him-”

Race opened his mouth to say something, but Spot raised a hand to stop him.

“I can’t forgives him, as me’s. Doesn’t feel right yet. However, Brooklyn will.”

Race grinned and shot over to hug him. “Thank you.”

“I ain’t doin’ it ‘cause of youse. ‘S what’s good for the city.”

“I know. But Business Race is really good at convincin’ the King of Brooklyn.”

Spot rolled his eyes. “I do wonder whys I love youse.”

“‘Cause I’m adorable an’ a great kisser?”

“I’d say fair at best,” Spot said, sounding bored.

“Oh, is that hows it is?” Race growled, willingly raising to the bait and kissing Spot roughly.

Yeah, Spot thought, best investment ever.

**Author's Note:**

> More on my Brooklynites: Both Winner and Spot are dating Smalls. (Not each other though.) Spot is not happy, but love is love. He knows.
> 
> Anyways, check out my tumblr: @akigriffin


End file.
